A popular fast fashion clothing brand, SHEIN has caught the eyes of Gen Z and millennials. Social media platforms like Tiktok have popularized users going through shopping hauls. Notable for its low-priced fashion and catering to many body types & sizes, many have inevitably bought clothing through this brand. However, Shein has recently caught backlash due to its fast fashion brand.
You might wonder, what is fast fashion?
According to Green Is The New Black, “Fast fashion produces much faster and much more, than the rest of the fashion industry. It speeds up the consumption of fashion, and brands have massive amounts of clothing and can ensure that customers never tire of inventory. Because of this model, they have to cut corners inevitably.” This translates to low-quality clothes and ever-reducing costs of production.”
Low-quality clothes may sound like a good idea since it will cost you less. However, you likely will throw out those clothes in no time when they’ve outlived their use. This only contributes to generating waste and increases your carbon footprint. As the makers use cheaper products for them, they are not biodegradable and therefore harm the environment.
Shein produces clothes that not only don’t last but also pose safety hazards. For example, Green Peace Germany bought 42 items and reported that 15 of the products contained hazardous materials. It makes you wonder if the company made these products in good conditions,
The answer is a resounding “no.”
People have heavily criticized Shein for maintaining unethical labor regulations in their factories and paying their workers only 4 cents per item created. In an attempt to save its reputation, Shein intends to allocate $15 million for the improvement of working conditions within its supply chain factories.
Companies like Shein show us why we should ditch fast fashion. Many businesses provide higher quality clothing and produce them ethically. If you can’t afford that as a gift, consider getting your loved one a Christmas card. That card will likely last longer hung on the fridge than that t-shirt would stay on the hanger in your closet.
Photo by piotr szulawski on Unsplash
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great post indeed!
I’m obsessed with this cozy oversized one with the retro graphic.